Socioeconomic factors relating to all maternal deaths identified during the 12 months of the Jamaican Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality Survey were compared with a control population of over 10,000 women. The maternal mortality rate was 11.5 per 10,000 livebirths. Initial analyses revealed (a) that the risk of maternal death declined with increasing maternal education level, (b) that mothers who lived in households with direct pumped water and/or flush toilets enjoyed a reduced risk; (c) mothers who were themselves the major wage earner and (d) those living in households where the major wage earner and source of income was an agricultural worker or farmer were at increased risk of maternal death. A previous analysis showed that the mother's age, her parity and variables indicating access to medical care were important. Logistic regression showed that only maternal age and toilet facilities were independently associated with maternal mortality.